We did a book reading of a Scala book with a bunch of senior Java developers, and even they thought Scala was too baroque. If Java developers think something is too complicated you've really, really gone off the deep end.

I've heard that Scala has spent a lot of time since then trying to simplify itself, so I can't speak to now, but I do know that Akka came into being when Scala was at its worst. When in Rome, do as the Romans.